Ear protector



Nov. 11, 1941. K WADE 2,262,568

` EAR PROTECTOR Filed oci. 21, 1959 Patented Nov.`11, 1941 IvUNIT-13D'STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,262,568 EAB. PROTECTOR l Kenneth L. Wade, NewYork, N. Y.

Application October 21, 1939, Serial No. 300,515

2 claims.

This invention relates to ear protectors which are inserted directly inthe outer ear, and the present invention is for the purpose ofprotecting the organs of the ear from disturbing vibrations, withoutirritating the auditory canal and'without causing an excessive pressureon the ear drums.

Ear protectors adapted to be inserted directly in the ear are, ingeneral, not-satisfactory, as a protection" against excessive noise,unless they reduce hearing to a minimum, excepting sound by boneconduction. The ear protector disclosed by Patent Number 1,016,877,while affording ventilation which will prevent pressure on the drums,

and non-ventilated ear protectors available, are

which the user kneads into a pliable ball-like mass and presses into theear to make a closure of the auditory canal. This is a most effectiveway of protecting the ears from noise thus far made available to thepublic. However, this wax and cotton stopple has the disadvantage inthat it sets up a pressure on the ear drums upon insertion. It is wellknown that a balance of pressure is normally maintained onthe drumsbetween the Eustachian tube and the auditoryl canal. vIt is importantthat this balanced pressure be maintained. Another disadvantage in waxstopples is that the wax'tends to adhere to the ear, and since theadhesion is as great between the stopple 'and the ear as between the Icotton and the wax, some part of the wax remains in the ear afterremoval of the stopple.

It is the object of the present invention to provide an ear protectorwhich is as effective as the present wax stopple without setting upexcessive air pressure in the auditory canal or on the ear drums, and tomitigate the adhesion of wax to the ear upon removal of the device. Afurther object is to provide an ear protector of porous lateximpregnated Iwith wax, which is readily inserted into any average earcanal without kneading or adjustment. A still further object is toprovide an ear protector, one end of which is partially impregnated witha composition ofan amorphous wax and petroleum jelly having a meltingpoint of approximately 125 F.

All or almost all waxes contain some crystalline material although thepredominant characteris- (Cl. 12S-152) tic is amorphous. Such a wax of amineral type is produced from crude oil which has essentially a paramnbase. Likewise, by custom inthe trade, certain waxesA of a vegetablenature, are frequently referred to as amorphous. Any of these waxes, andso-called waxes, when mixed with petroleum jelly in proper proportionswill produce a soft and inelastic ear protector when usedv to impregnatela unitary porous body. For example, one composition producing asatisfactory result consisted of 12 parts of Japan wax having ameltingpoint of 130 F. and one part of petroleum jelly. The compositionmelted at approxi-- mately 125 F. Another suitable wax composi-A tionwas prepared from three parts of amorphous c mineral wax from paraiiiniccrude oil with la melting point of 145 F. and one part of petroleumjelly. This composition also had a melting ,point yof approximately 125F. In addition, both goiwater4 soluble and water insoluble syntheticwaxes procurable on the market under the classication of amorphous waxeswere combined with petroleum jelly to produce a waxy material ofsuitable plasticity and a melting point above body "temperature It maybe seen that there exists a large number of waxes and so-called waxes ofan amorphous character which when mixed with the proper amount ofpetroleum jelly will result in a compound having suitable melting pointand impregnating characteristics.

This improved ear protector is more particu-v larly shown in theaccompanying drawing in which Figure' 1 shows the ear protector of thisinvention as in the ear; 4 Figure 2 is a longitudinal section on line2-2 of Figure`3. Figure' 3 is an end view of the ear protector showingthe partially impregnated end.

The'ear protector 9 is preferably stamped from sheet stock or cut fromround stock of porous and resilient latex. One end of the latexdesignated by Il, is immerged in a solution of Japan wax and petroleumjelly or other suitable wax compound 4having a melting point of about125 F. The length of time which this end Il is left inthe compounddetermines the degree of impregnation and the area impregnated. Thus byvarying the time which the latex is in the solution, the extent of boththe porosity and plasticity may be governed. The porous core l2 can beuntouched by the solution or it may be slightly impregnated and yetremain suiliciently porous to allow ventilation to the-ear drums.Likewise, by using a more or a less plastic solution, the

2 y resulting plasticity and porosity may bedirectly governed.: It hasbeen found that approximately one part of white vaseline petroleum`jelly to twelve parts of Japan wax having a melting point yof 125results in a protector when mixed with After the end Il has beenimpregnated as de-4 scribed, a section at the waxed end I 3 may be cutaway to make the`core I2 va continuous one. At the same time the end andsides are shaped about as shown in Figure 2; this being somewhatrepresentative of the shape normallyproduced on insertion in the averageear. l

'I'he section I0 is not impregnated with the solution, and allows theuser to insert and remove the ear-protector without handling andpossibly soiling the waxed area.

-The action of my improved earl protector depends on the resilient andporous latex plus the sound absorbing qualities of wax, the combinationof which makes for a exible and easily inserted ear protector, and' yetone whichdoes not noticeably irritate the ear and it does provideventilation to E through core I2, which may be either slightlyimpregnated with wax'or the plain latex porous structure. Thecombination of porous latex and wax lmakes for an` excellent diameter ofthe Y aaeazses locking action in the meatus of the ear.. and theprotector 9 may be removed without leaving any appreciable amount of waxin the ear for the reason that there is a greater adhesion between therubber of the latex and the wax than between the wax ard the skin. Theear protector 9 is sanitary to use in' the respect that it is `not'necessary to shape o handle the end Il, which l'ocks in the ear.

Having thus described my invention what I claim and desire to protect byLetters Patent is: 1. An ear protector comprising a porous latex bodyhaving ,a generally cylindrical form, one section of which isimpregnated with a waxy material of a composition of an' amorphous waxand a petroleum jelly having a melting point of approximately 125 F.,said section being adapted to be inserted in the auditory canal andserving as a soft inelastic stopple 'for the absorption of sound andthev balance of the porous latex body beingunimpregnated and serving asa means for holding the device'for insertion and removal.

2. An ear protector comprising Aa porous body vhaving a generallycylindrical form, 'one section of which is impregnated with a waxymaterial of a composition of an amorphous wax and aA petroleum jellyhaving a melting point above body temperature, said section beingadapted to be inserted in the auditory canal and serving as a softinelastic stopple for the absorption of sound, and the balance of theporous body being unimpregnated and serving as a means for holdf ingzthedevice for insertion and removal.

- Y KENNETH L. WADE.

